Oceaneering consolidates Aberdeen premises to two new sites

Aberdeen International Business Park

Oceaneering International is set to move into new premises across two locations in Dyce.

Currently spread across six different locations in Aberdeen, the move sees Oceaneering merging operations into a 51,000 sq ft office at Aberdeen International Business Park (AIBP) and a new 88,000 sq ft purpose-built facility at D2 Business Park. The consolidation will enable Oceaneering to support continued growth in the UK, Europe, Africa and Middle East regions and underpin Oceaneering’s direct commitment to the UK continental shelf.

The deals represent the largest industrial and office transactions in the Aberdeen market since 2015.

The bespoke warehouse at D2 will create a world-class facility and will support the delivery of highly integrated work packages whilst also creating the opportunity to increase cost-efficiency for Oceaneering customers.

The project started back in 2016 with CBRE being brought in to provide high level advice regarding Oceaneering’s Aberdeen portfolio.

Iain Landsman, an associate director with CBRE in Aberdeen and key member of the firm’s Global Energy Practice Group, commented: “The transition to the new site will allow the business to flourish in a more cost efficient set-up that will benefit from excellent transport connections and is within close proximity to the city’s new exhibition centre.

“Whilst there is a noted abundance of vacant industrial units in Aberdeen, much of this stock is of poor quality and of smaller scale and there were no immediately available options available to Oceaneering. We therefore had to go down the build-to-suit route and using the current market conditions we were able to secure a deal that allowed Oceaneering to actually reduce its annual costs and move into what will be the best-in-class warehouse in Aberdeen once built.”

In addition to securing the space, CBRE is also providing services on workplace consultancy, advice on space planning, fit-out design and business rates, and is project monitoring the build of the warehouse.

Steven Cowie, Oceaneering Vice President & Country Manager, UK said: “Combining our offices and creating a centralised workshop space will improve cost efficiencies, reduce overall carbon footprint and provide our customers with the most advanced and economical solutions. The new set-up will bring employees together and enable teams to collaborate more effectively, improve communication, and augment knowledge sharing and best practice within our business.

“The expertise and guidance received by Iain Landsman and his colleagues at CBRE was paramount to the delivery of the project. As our professional advisors, they were entrenched in the business and they provided a full spectrum of services and advice ranging from the initial process of aligning all our current leases to be co-terminus, providing an extensive list of relocation options, providing advice on our actual occupational needs and workplace strategies to providing financial budgeting for the relocation and fit-out.”

Roddy Morrison, director and head of CBRE’s Building Consultancy department in Aberdeen, added: “We anticipate the transition to the new sites will commence in Q1 2020 when the first office staff take up residence in AIBP. The construction of the workshop is due to commence shortly and we expect that it will complete mid 2020 allowing for all operations to be conducted from the new sites by the end of 2020.”

CBRE’s work has led to the firm being awarded the Facilities Management and Rating contracts with Oceaneering going forward.

Iain Landsman concluded: “This transaction demonstrates how CBRE can provide an integrated range of specialist services using both local and national sector experts, all with the added benefit of working closely with our global occupier network.”

Oceaneering is a global provider of engineered services and products, primarily to the offshore energy industry. Through the use of its applied technology expertise, Oceaneering also serves the defense, entertainment, material handling, aerospace, science and renewable energy industries.

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